What effect does the extension of copyright to 70 years in the EU have on an author's works?

The correct answer is that extending copyright to 70 years in the EU increases the duration of protection for the author's work. This extension means that the intellectual property rights of authors and their estates are prolonged, allowing them to maintain control over the usage of their works for an additional period of time. During this extended duration, the author or their heirs can benefit economically from the work through licensing, sales, and various forms of exploitation.

This increase in the duration of protection ensures that creators can enjoy the fruits of their labor for a more extended period, thus incentivizing creativity and investment in the arts. Moreover, it solidifies the authors' rights against unauthorized use, providing a more robust legal framework to uphold their interests.

The other options do not accurately reflect the implications of the 70-year extension. Public domain access, limitations on creating derivative works, and decreased protection periods contradict the fundamental purpose of copyright law, which aims to protect authors and their works for a specified time. Thus, the focus remains on the increased duration of protection as a central benefit of the extended copyright term.